Sorting machine



July 30, 1940. M. MAU L SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

H ODQ 4Hu aGT zFs [ER Fmnnnm WVNNH O I 234 5S789'ABCDEFGH I J KLMNOPGRSTUVWXYZ IEVENTOR W %-6 BY ATTORNEY I Filed Sept, 16, 1939 sSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR July 30, 1940. MAUL v 2,209,414

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Filed Sept. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheetfi Fig. 7 5 I '10 JNVENTOR ATTORNEYPatented July 30, 1940 UNlT-ED s'rATEs rA'ra-NT OFFICE 2,209,414 son'rmamom Michael Maul, Berlin-Johannistha 1, Germany, as-

signor to the firm Dleutsche HoIlerith'Maschinen Gesellschaft in.Germany Application september 16, 1939, Serial In'Germany October 8,1938' 3 Claims. This invention relates to sorting machines andparticularly to the type in which perforated record cards are analyzedand selectively disposed into sorting 5 By such sorting operations eachsortingpocket receives a series of records bearing the same controldesignation.

In one form of sorting machine the machine has been equipped withsorting pockets which are P commensurate in number to thecont-roldesignations. In this form of machine the control desig nationsusuallyconsist of digit representing perforationsrepresenting -9, 11, and 12and for sorting records according to these designations 15v thirteensorting pockets have been found to be desirable, one'of such pocketsbeing a reject pocket.

In another type of sorting machine r'ecords bearing alphabeticaldesignations as well as numerical designations are utilized to controlsorting operations and instead of utilizing one sorting pocket for eachcontrol designation, sorting operations are effected in a plurality ofsorting runs.

This type'of machine is exemplified in the'pat 25 'ent to Ford, No.1,946,904. As described in this patent the control records to be sortedrepresent twenty-six letters and ten numerals and sorting operations forrecords so designated are eiiected in a plurality of sorting runs. Inone sorting run 30 the records representing numerals are sorted, and

in successive sorting runs records representing the I} letters aresorted, divided into two runs by the letters A-M, andby the, lettersN-Z.

Thesorting mechanism has, in such types of machines, been conditioned tobe responsiveto the different sets of designations by a selector,settable to different positions. At the termination of each sorting runthe pockets have received records bearing related designations, andobviously for 40 different sorting runs each pocket will receivea seriesof recordsdifierently designated.

It is at times desirable that the operator know for purposes ofselection in which pocket records having particular designations aresorted during a sorting run, and this has, heretofore, been accomplishedby labeling each pocket with all the designations of the recordsreceived therein.

Since each pocket has associated therewith a plu- 0 rality ofcharacters, the operator will be required to determine the position ofthe selector and selecta. designation of the group pertaining to thesorting run. This interpretation has led to errors and it is the objectof the present invention to 5 eliminate such errors by providinganimproved form of indicating mechanism which will quickly give theoperator the desired information.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an indicatorwhich renders visible tothe operator only the characters or designationswhich pockets in accordance with the analysis.

11., Berlin-Dichteri'elde,

are to control sorting operations during each sorting run.

. 'A still further object of the invention is to provide suchcharactersadjacent the related pockets so that the characters ordesignations brought into view are intimately associated with therelated pockets.

In the preferred embodiment the objectof the invention is attained bythe provision of an indior indications, one group for each pocket andhaving a pointer, or window, associated. with each groupso that only onecharacter or indication is visible at a time. Preferably, the indicatorbar is movable and set by the adjustment of the selector. In eachposition of the selector, for each sorting run, the indicator bar ispositioned to bring into cator'bar or plate carrying groups ofcharacters,--

view a series of characters or indications, visible through therespective windows, and those brought into view being associated withthe related pockets.

An indicator bar, or plate, is preferably utilized,

so that they'may be made up to represent the indications desired. Theindications or characters may vary with the use of the machine, or theaccounting system in which the sorting machine is utilized, and theprovision of separate bars is preferable so that diflerent indicatorbars may be on hand to meet the different uses or requirements of themachine. I Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in thefollowing description and claims and illustrated in the accompanyindrawings which disclose, by way of example, the principle of theinvention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applyingthat principle.

In the accompanying drawings capable of being sorted by the sortingmachine and shows a record card divided into two card fields, or recorddecks. Theupper card field contains perforations representing a name andaddress, while the lower card field carries perfora= tions representingassociated numerical data.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticview showing thirteen erably equipped.Vertically arranged above each sorting pocket are charactersrepresenting the designations on the records sorted in each pocket. Thehorizontal rows of characters represent the designationsof the recordssorted in each sorting run.

all of the alphabetical characters.

Fig. .4 is a view in side elevation, on a reduced Fig. 1 is anillustration of a form of record card Fig. 3 is a representation of thecode of perforations foirepresenting all of thedigits and scale, showingthe general arrangement of the sorting pockets.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional I view of the sortingmachine, showing the parts sorting pockets with which the machine isprefnecessary for an understanding of the present invention.

, accomplished in a manner The analyzing brushes are supported Fig. 6 isa representation of an indicator bar, or plate, showing the differentgroups of characters associated with each of the sorting pockets.

Fig. 7 is an electrical wiring diagram of the machine. v i

The selection of a card field or record deck is effected by means of aselector 63 shown in Fig. 4, the function of which will be subsequentlydescribed in detail. By the positioning of the selector 63- either ofthe card fields may be selected for sorting operations.

Upon the selection of .a particular card field for controlling sortingoperations a certain col umn must be selected and this is preferablywhich is well known.

by a carrier 23 through which a worm screw 24 passes. The carrier 23 isadjustable transversely of the card by means of a crank handle 23, shownin Fig. 4, and which rotates the worm screw 24.

The analysis of, the selected card. field is efiected 'by the concurrentanalysis of the perforations in a selected card column and in thepresent arrangement six analyzing brushes are provided for analyzing thealphabetical representing perforations in the upper card field, whilefor ana- Y lyzing the numerical representing perforations in the lowercard field only four of the analyzing brushes are utilized.

'The power for'driving 'difierent parts of the sorting machine isderived from a motor 20, shown in Fig. 5. The cards to'be sorted are fedsingly from a supply stack by means of a card latter being actuated bythe motor 20 feeds .the card to. the first setof several setsof feedingrollers 22 also driven by motor 20.

When the record card to be sorted emerges from the supply stack it isreceived by the first set of rollers 22 which then convey the card to besorted to the analyzing brushes 2. From theanalyzing brushes a set ofcard feed rollers 22 feed the record card for operative correlation isefiected by means of a .shown in Fig. 5,; t hree different positions. Inthe with a series of sorting blades 25 which are selec.- tivelyadjustedunder control of a magnet 27. The sorting mechanism is of a wellknown construction and details of its construction and operation neednot be given herein. For a general understanding of the operation of thesorting.

mechanism it is explained that the records to be sorted are fed beneaththe staggered ends of a series of sorting blades 26. At the time therecord to be sorted certain designations will be sorted out and theremaining records will be-disposed into the reject pocket Rf, shown inFig. 4. This adiustment knob 33 which has, as

the sorting mechanism s'tion shown in Fig. 5, po 1 the digits 0 to 9 isresponsive to records bearing and upon the occurrence of such recordsthey,

will be selectively disposed in the related sorting records bearing isin. operative relationship with certain sorting blades the magnet 21 isenergized under control or the preceding analysis of pockets. In thenext adjustment of the knob 33,

the alphabetical designations A-M will be sorted out and, in the third,or final adjustment of the sorting knob 33, records bearing thedesignation N-Z will be sorted out. As is best shown in Figs. 5 and 7,the knob 33 has securedthereto a double contact arm 34, one arm of whichis in continuous electrical contact with a segment 35, and which arm maybe brought selectively into contact with one of a series of contactelements 36, 31, and 38. The last named contact elements are selectivelyconnected to the translator through the-associated impulse emitters insuch a manner, as will be explained later, that different designationsmay control sorting operations during the difierent sorting runs.

Obviously, in the present arrangement, the knob 33 is adapted toefiect achange in the control of the sorting mechanism by a different set ofdesignations. It should be understood, however, that this arrangement ismerely illustrative and other arrangements may be provided so that inother types of sorting machines the sorting mechanism will be responsiveto different sets of apparent that each sorting pocket will receiverecords of diiferent designations during difierent sorting runs. It isat times desirable that the operator be informed of the particularpockets receivingthe differently designated records and which are sortedinto the differentv sorting pockets during the sorting runs, and thearrangement now to be described is preferably utilized to efiect thisresult. As best shown in Fig. 5, it will be seen that for two of thesorting pockets and in proximity thereto there is represented aplurality of characters. For example, in Fig. 5, one of the sortingpockets has the associated characters 9M2. This indicates that thisparticular pocket receives records bearing similar -designa-tions duringthree different sorting runs. The remaining sorting pockets also haveassociated therewith other characters and'these are arranged inaccordance with the vertical groups of characters shown in Fig. 2,associated with each sorting pocket. 4

In order that the operator may know where the record bearing aparticular designation is plate carries as shown in Fig. 6, gro'upsofcharacters, preferably engraved thereon. Obviously,

in accordance with the different adjustments of the indicator platecharacters associated with each pocket will be visible through eachaperture, or window 40.

To eifect the desired adjustment of theindicator bar or plate 3| bymeans of the knob 33 there is provided a pin tween the .lower arm of thearm 34 and the indicator plate 3|- A spring pressed plate 32 is providedto align plate 3i in its adjusted position. With the knob 33 in theposition shown in Fig. 5, it will be evident that the machine will 3i,only one of a group ofand slot connection bebe conditioned for a sortingrun in which records bearing-all of the digits 0-9 will be sorted out,and there. will be visibile to the operator, as shown in Fig. 4, thedigits 0 to 9 on the indicator plate 3|, eachadjacent the pocketreceiving a record similarly designated. The operator may, therefore,quickly perceive into which sorting pocket each of the difierentlydesignated records 2,209,414 are'receivedQ Whenthe knob 33 is adjustedfor the next sorting run, or for sorting out records bearingdesignations A-M, the corresponding letters on the indicator plate 3|will be visible through the apertures 40 and such characters will beassociated with the respective sorting pockets.

. in accordance with the card-field which is to-control sortingoperations. It will be seen that the switch 63 may be positioned so asto selectively connect cam controlled contacts 64a or 64b in circuitconnection with a'contact plate 6|, the cir cuit to the contact plate 6|being closed through the usual card lever contacts 62. The cam con-;trolled contacts 64a are timed so as to close one line side 10 to thecontact plate 6| when the lower card field iscoordinated with theanalyzing brushes 26 while the cam controlled contacts 64b are timed toclose at the time the analyzing brushes 24 are operatively associatedwith the lower card field. This will'cause the concurrent analysis ofthe perforations" of the selected card field in a selected card columnand by suitable wire connections from the brushes Mto translator magnets50, which are connected to the other line side 80, these magnets will beenergized in combination depending upon the combinational arrangement ofthe perforations analyzed in the selected card column. The magnets 50are individually designated by Roman numerals in Fig. 7 and referring toFig. 3 it will be seen that the combinations of perforations are alsodesignated by Roman numerals, it being clear that magnets 50 will beenergized under spending perforations.

In the. present embodiment-sorting operations are preferably carried outin a manner which is control of the correwell known and fully shown anddescribed in'the U. S. patent to Michael Maul No. 2,025,602, to whichreference may be had for a more complete description of the operationand construction of the machine. In order to more clearly understand thepresent invention, it is pointed out that the machine is provided withtwo sets of storing devices; one set being adjusted under control of theperforations, while in thesame machine cycle a second set of storingdevices controls the sorting mechanism in accordance with the analysisof the previous record. Between successive sorting cycles'there isa'transfer of the setting from the first named set of storing devices tothe second named set of storing devices and after this transfer has beenefiected, the first set of storing devices is cleared out so as to becapable of being subsequently set under control of the next recordanalyzed. Obviously, after the second set of' storing devices hascontrolled the operation of the sorting mechanism this set is clearedout so as to receive a subsequent transfer.

In more detail, each magnet 56, when energized, will attract itsarmature thereby releasing a related pawl 59 which thereupon is rockedin a clockwise direction so as to bring a shoulder ;hereof beneath onearm of a bell crank 52.- The rocking of a bell crank 52 will, throughthe pawl 59, depress a bar 53 so asto rock anv associated ever whereuponthe latter is latched by means which are represented by letters.

.' a bar 66 to sary. :The plurality of contact elements 36,

,35, a relay magnet when depressed, closes certain contacts and opensother contacts. As is well known, the depression of certain of the bars60 under control of the energization of related magnets 50 will effectthe closure of contacts represented in Fig.

The selection of one of these lines will effect the sorting of a recordcard having a similar designation, as is well known in the art. j I

- The rocking of the bell cranks 52 to cause the rocking of the levers54 through bars 53 and pawls 59 is performed by means of a bar 51 whichis rocked by its associated cam to the left, as shown in Fig. 7, andwhich cam is timed so as to eifect 1 the transfer from the first set ofstoring devices to the second set time. The clearing out of the settingon the first set of storing devices at the desired of storing devices isperformed by the rocking 'of I the right (Fig. 7) under control of itsassociated cam. This will unlatch the pawls 59 from the bell cranks 52.The clearing of the setting on the second named set of storing devicesis effected by the rocking of a bar 58'to the right, as shown in Fig. 7,and'the movement of the bar 58 in this direction is efi'ected by therelated cam and rocks the pawls 55 to -unlatch the levers ,54.

As previously described the closure of contacts incombination willselect one of a plurality of impulse transmitting lines and a line whichcorresponds to the designation on the card analyzed in the precedingsorting cycle. Since in the present instance, the designations on therecord cards comprise a complete set of alphabetical characters, or 26letters, as well as the ten digits, 36 impulse trahsmitting lines arenecesimpulse transmitting lines are divided into three sets; one set forthe digits 0 to 9; another set for the letters A-N; and the third setfor the letters NZ, and coordinated with these three sets of lines arerelated impulse emitters designated 66, 61 and 68 in Fig. 7. By means ofsuitable wire connections between the 31V and 38 and impulse emitters66, til and 68, the positioning of the knob 33 will cause the electricalselection of one of these emitters. The emitters are of the usual form,that is, it includes a plurality of contact points with which a-brushmakes successive electrical contact at the is successively coordinatedwith'the sorting blades 26, Fig. 5. Obviously, since each impulseemitter will permit the sorting mechanism to be conrolled by the relatedset of designations all of the records which bear other designationswill be passed into the reject pocket Fig. 5. In Fig. 7, the completewiring connections between the impulse transmitting lines leading fromthe translator contacts to the contact point of the time the record tobe sorted t 3 of a latching lever 55. Each lever 54 has con- I nectedthereto a contact" operating bar 50 which,

in combination so as to select an impulse transmitting line, some ofwhich arev 7 by numerals and others of respective emitters are notshown. However, the I corresponding lines are similarly designated so asto make the connection of related lines apparent.

The transmission of an electricaljmpulse to 'lllthrough selected closedtranslator contacts to the selected impulse transmitting line, therelated contact point of the associated emitter, to a contact element35, 37 and 38, depending upon contact arin 36, to the segment 39, thesorting control magnet the position of the energization of the relaymagnet 39 effects the closure of a stick circuit for the sortingimagnet21 through stick contacts M and cam controlled contacts 69.

To recapitulate, it will be seen that if the knob 33 is adjusted toeffect the sorting of records bearing the numeral designations 0 to 9,and which position is shown in Fig. 7, it"will be apparent that theemitter 66 will be selected.

Therefore, sorting operation will be effected for records bearing suchdesignations provided, of

course, the card field selector switch 53 is set to the position-shownin Fig. 7. In the event that cards are imperforated in the lower cardfield such cards will be disposed in the reject pocket When the selectorswitch 63 is positioned so as to make contact with the lower contactpoint, cam operated contacts 641) (Fig. 7) will be operative so as tocause an operative relationship between the upper card field.

the analyzing brushes 24 and It will be understood that the upper cardfield may contain perforations representing 26 alphabetical characters,and since the machine is equipped with only 13 sorting pockets it isnecessary to pass such records through the machine in two sorting runs.When the knob 33 is adjusted so that thecontact 34 makes contact withthe contact element 31 the impulse emiter 61 is selected for operationso that records bearing the designationsA-M will be sorted out, andrecords bearing other alphabetical designations will be disposed in thereject pocket. From what has been previously described it will be notedthat the positioning of the knob 33 to eiiect sorting operations fordesignations A-M will cause the positioning of the indicator plate 3i sothat the corresponding designations will be simultaneously brought intoview; and each associated with the related sorting pocket. By bringingsuch designations into view, the operator will be able to quicklypercieve into which sorting pockets records having certain designationsare selectively disposed. Y t

For sorting operations to sort records containing the designations N-Zthe knob 33 is adjusted so that the contact arm 34 makes contact withthe contact element 38 thereby selecting the impulse emitter 68 forsorting operations. The indicator plate 3i will, accordingly, receive anadjustment so as to bring the designations N-Z simultaneously into viewso that the operator will know into which sorting pockets records havingsuch designations will be disposed. While the invention nection with asortingmachine for sorting numerically and alphabetically designatedrecords in three sorting runs, it is obvious that if amachine of thiscapacity is not required changes can easily be made so as to sortrecords by fewer sorting runs. For example, if it is desirable tosortrecords bearing only alphabetical designations in two sorting runs,only two impulse emitters 61 and 68 are necessary. In another form ofhas been illustrated in conmachine having 26-sorting pockets all of therecordsbearing alphabetical designations will be sorted during a singlerun and if certain of these records contain numerical designations themachine may be equipped with an impulse emitter 66 so as to effect thesorting of records in accordance with the numerical data in anothersorting run. Each of the above types of machine may by suitablealterations be equipped with the indicating device herein shown anddescribed.

While there has been shown and described an pointed out the fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to a single modification itwill be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changesin the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limitedonly as indicated by the scope of the following claims. What is claimedis:

1. In a machine for sorting records provided with designations capableof being analyzed for controlling sorting of the records selectively ina plurality of sorting pockets, and including a setets comprising meansprovided with indications corresponding to designations ofrecords sortedin the related pockets and means at each sorting pocket associated withthe related group of indications for selectively by diflerent positionsof the settable means rendering a particular indication 3o visible, andmeans for causing said settable means to control the indicating means torender visible for each position of the settable means indicationscorresponding totheparticular designations of the records received bythe sorting pockets in the sorting run selected by the settable means.

2. The combination according to claim ,1 in which the indicating meanscomprises av fixed cover plate for a bar connected to said settablelongitudinally along the means and extending sorting pockets, said barcarrying groups of characters associated with the sorting pockets, oneof which characters is visible adjacent each sorting pocket through awindow of said fixed cover plate depending upon the adjustment of thesettable'means.

3. In a machine fo sorting records provided with designations capable ofbeing analyzed for controlling sorting of the records selectively in atable means which in its differently set position causes the sortingmechanism to be responsive to only a certain set of designationsanalyzed during each sorting run, whereby each pocket may receive indifierent sorting runs records bearing different designations, thecombination of anindicator comprising a bar extending longitudinally ofthe sorting machine and provided adjacent each sorting pocket with aplurality of characters plurality of sorting pockets and including asetrepresenting the designations of records sorted therein in thedifferent sorting runs, a fixed cover plate extending over the bar andprovided with a series of windows each window enabling only .onecharacter to be visible and dependent upon the position of the settablemeans, and means for cperatively connecting "said bar to said settablemeans to cause by each setting of the settable means the adjustment ofsaid indicator bar to bring simultaneously into view a.- series ofcharacters adjacent the plurality of pockets to desig- 7i mate thedesignations on the records sorted in the pockets in the sorting runselected by the settable means,

MICHAEL MAUL.

